2 Corinthians 1:1-2 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul begins this second canonical letter like the first by marking himself as “an apostle of Christ Jesus.” His apostleship came by way of Jesus’ call to him on the road to Damascus recorded in Acts 9. Apostles were a special group of people. The word itself can be interpreted in a broad sense to mean someone “called to go out,” similar to what we might call a missionary today. It also has a narrow sense of the special group of people whom Jesus specifically called in person to be leaders of the early church. This small group were eye witnesses of Jesus’ ministry. Paul associated himself with this narrow group because he had seen the risen Lord Jesus and had been specifically called to go out. In this letter, Paul’s apostolic authority is important. The Corinthians questions Paul’s authority, motives, and ministry. The letter is a defense of Paul’s apostolic authority. However, Paul defends himself not by boasting in his strengths and abilities but by showing his vulnerability and weaknesses. He is an apostle “by the will of God,” not by his own choosing. He was radically captured by God’s grace out on the road to Damascus. This altered everything about his life.
Paul co-wrote this letter with Timothy who is described as “our brother.” The Corinthians knew Timothy. Paul had sent him to Corinth already, as indicated in the first letter (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:20). At some point, Timothy must have returned to Paul with news of this trip. Timothy was a close companion with Paul and went with him on many missionary journeys. He was with Paul when a number of letters were written (Rom 16:21; Phil 1:1; Col 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; Philm 1).
This letter is addressed in similar but shorter way than the first letter. The core audience is the “church of God in Corinth.” This was God’s church. Its identity was found in God, not in any earthly leader. The Christian work had expanded in the area, so there were believers now in the whole area of Achaia, the area surrounding Corinth. The first letter is more expansive in this secondary audience with “all those who in ever place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” This second letter is more focused on a specific area. Both letters calls believers “saints,” or holy ones. They have been called by God, responded to the gospel, and have set themselves apart from the world. God has made them holy through the blood of Christ. Because they are saints, they must live like saints.
The salutation is exactly like the first letter. It contains Paul’s characteristic “grace” and “peace.” The word “grace” is similar to the Greek greeting of the time, and “peace” was the typical Jewish greeting. Paul goes deeper than a simple greeting and fills these words with theological meaning by connecting them to “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Grace and peace are found only and ultimately in God and experienced only and ultimately through relationship with Christ. Paul wants the Corinthians to remember the source of their hope.
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